Well this will go down as the least amount of sleep I've gotten before a race ever. After taking a red eye, doing MK, Expo and Epcot, getting settled in and having a margarita as a nightcap, I finally fell asleep a bit before 10 and got up at 330-5.5 hours!
I was able to get up and get dressed and out the door right before 4 (including the 5 min search for my earring haha), walked right on the bus and we waited for it to be full. Also I guess I didn't screw my UCan top on as it leaked in my bag. Oops. While waiting for the bus to fill, I ate my waffles and drank some of my UCan. The bus ride was quick and uneventful, I finished my UCan and I was meeting up with Jacque by 430. We caught up and I headed to the corral around 4:50 and used the Porto by the corrals and hopped in. Around 5:15 they walked us to the start line.
The videos they showed and the crowd interaction was great before the start. We started right on time. My intervals for this race were 1:15/:30 and I felt strong from the beginning. For the issues I have been having, I've been doing short jogs and shin stretches in the corral and it's been working. This race definitely showed that!
About half a mile in, Moana was out on the overpass. In the past it was Elsa but it was so nice to see Moana. She had so much interaction with crowd and was hoping she would be out when I was dressed as her.
I hit the mile at about 10 min (which for a Disney race is pretty fast for me!)and kept going to the turnaround up the overpass and guess who was the first character? ELENA! I freaked as that was my costume. I waited about 5 minutes (and was so sweaty) and she knew who I was! I played my specter for her and she loved it. Best photo stop of the day!
I kept going towards Epcot and it was more crowded than usual. Well A and B were set off within 5 minutes apart instead of the usual 10 and it was crowded. I got a photo with the pixies and they did the line the opposite way so it was deceiving and I waited about 10 minutes. Not soon after, I hit a water stop.
I was worried after that photo stop there would be nothing like wine and dine 10k but luckily they had a stop before Epcot! I waited about 10 min for the old hag Snow White queen (including her going for an apple break) with cauldron. Love it!!
With the road I was able to spread out and keep my pace. Before I knew it, we hit the 3 mile turnoff and 5k stop there was construction on the road (new from the wine and dine 10k) and I headed backstage to Epcot. I stopped for a picture with e Mardi Gras dancers and continued towards World Showcase. Right after entering between Norway and China, there was our second water stop. Continued around World Showcase (with fabulous princess music) and stopped for a quick photo with Dopey in Germany (with a crazy bathroom stop where I could not pull up my shorts-so humid!) and then Gepetto and Pinocchio in Italy.
I got a few pictures running around World Showcase and then made it to France. There was a photo stop with the champagne like at Wine and Dine but I figured my outfit did not reflect that I continued on to Marie!!!
After that we headed to the Boardwalk, I saw one of the most insane photo lines ever for Princess Minnie but you could only hit it on your way back so I continued on. I stopped for Vacation Genie at ESPN Zone and then continued on but noticed the course was getting more and more crowded (and the Boardwalk was wet so I had to be careful). Another water stop was at Jellyrolls and then I continued towards YC and BC and back to Epcot. I was trying to go as hard as I could to get to the Princess Minnie line before it closed.
It was even longer but I wanted to stick it out. TWENTY FIVE MINUTE WAIT! lord! and I had my first encounter with the balloon ladies. They came out of World Showcase and somehow everyone missed them. We were told that they were on the Boardwalk and a golf cart pulled up. They let us know if we see balloons rounding the corner to RUN as if we did not hit the gate, we would be swept. it was a bit crazy but I made it through the line, Jacque joined me for a quick pic and off we ran backstage! Didn't see the balloon ladies coming. What surprised me was the number of people that hopped in line still.
We took a quick pic with figment and spaceship earth and headed towards the finish. My longest 10k ever that is even longer than my half marathon PR.
GARMIN RUNNING TIME: 10:04/9:58/10:29/10:20/9:53 (i did run fast to get to Minnie haha)/11:33/11:36
Official Splits:
- 5k- :50:12 (16:10 pace)
- 10k-2:15:46 (21:46)
Overall, I had a great time at the 10k but this course leaves a lot to be desired!
What was the last 10k you ran? Do you know who Princess Elena is?